Means for retaining mattresses



. Mav 13, 1930. ROBlNSON 1,758,718

MEANS FOR RETAINING MATTRESSES Filed Sept. 6, 1928 Patented May 13, 1930PATENT OFFICE LUCILLE TULL ROBINSON, OF NEW YORK. N. Y.

MEANS FOR RETAINING MATTRESSES Application filed September 6, 1928.Serial No. 304,364.

The device, the subject of this invention, is a means for retaining amattress in position, and the object of the invention is to make asimple detachable and attachable device that may be placed in positionor removed at will, and that will not require the skill of a mechanic inplacing or removing the device.

Another object of the invention is to produce a device that may beattached to the springs of an ordinary bed, and particularly a hospitalbed, and that suggests the primary object of my invention.

It is well known that in the treatment of certain diseases, and in thetreatment of patients of operations of various characters, that it isdesirable to elevate a portion of the body, or flex the body and retainit flexed. That is, in some instances the head and shoulders areelevated, and in another instance, the feet are elevated, or the kneesare flexed.

At the present time, the elevating of the head and shoulders, or kneesand feet is accomplished by means of a bed, the spring support of whichis formed of several parts hinged. together. On such a bed, it isparticularly diflicult to retain the mattress in position. If the headportion of the bed is elevated, the mattress will slide down, and willshortly become exceedingly uncomfortable. It is sometimes dificult, ifnot impossible, for a nurse to replace the mattress with the patient onit, and it is well known that it is sometimes exceedingly undesirable,if not fatal, to remove the patient or the bed. The object of myinvention is to prevent the mattress sliding out of place, and while Iam well aware that mattress ties and metallic clamps or straps, which goacross the mattress, have been employed, my experience teaches me thatthese devices are not only unsatisfactory, but in many instancesimpractical.

To overcome the objections above set forth, I have designed a devicewhich will now be described. and reference should he had to theaccompanying drawing for a complete understanding of the specificationwhich follows.

In the drawing Fig. 1, is a perspective view of my device.

Fig. 2, a side elevation of a modified form, and

Fig. 3, a front elevation of either form.

Similar reference numerals indicate like parts in all the figures wherethey appear.

The main portion of my device may be formed of one piece of material,and I prefer that the material should be brass, or any other suitablystrong metal. I provide a plate, and shear the plate to produce aplurality of inwardly projecting arms, as shown at 1 and Each of thesearms is provided with a loop, shown at 3 and 4, and an inwardlyprojecting portion as shown at 5, the innermost end of which is bentoutward, as shown at It will be noted that the arms 1 and 2 are producedat approximately mid length of my metallic plate. A. portion 7 projectsupwardly above the arms 1 and 2, and another portion 8 projectsdownwardly below the arms 1 and 2.

The downwardly projecting portion 8 is in tended to rest against theouter surface of the spring bar or angle iron 9.

In placing my device in position, the hooked arms 1 and 2 are engagedover the edge of the angle iron 9, which supports the springs of thebed. The downwardly extending portion 8, of my device is then caused toabut the outer surface of the angle iron 9, and the inwardly projectingportions 5 are then caused to engage upon the under surface of thehorizontal portion of the angle iron.

The mattress will restagainstthe inner surface of the upwardly extendingportion, as indicated in Fig. l, and any downward movement of themattress will cause my device to more firmly engage with its supportingangle iron. To move it, it is only necessary to raise the mattress andtip the device forward so that the loops 3 and at may be disengaged fromthe angle iron.

In the device shown in Fig. 1, the weight of the mattress upon the loops3 and 4 will cause the device to be retained more firmly in position,but in the construction shown in Fig. 2, I show a bowed portion 10,which serves the same purpose and which receives the weight of themattress to hold the device more firmly in position.

It will of course be understood that the material should have a certaindegree of resiliency so that it may be engaged upon angle irons ofdifferent thicknesses, and so that it will retain itself engaged with nogreat freedom between the hooked member and the angle iron. This willprevent the device rattling when the bed is moved, and will make itpossible to allow the device to remain in position when the bed isundergoing adjustment.

TWo or more of these devices may be used on each spring. The number willbe determined by the desire of the user.

It will of course be understood that the size of my device may bechanged at will, and that modifications may be made, if such are foundnecessary, within the scope of the appended claims without departingfrom the principle or sacrificing the advantages of this invention.

Having carefully and fully described my invention, what I claim anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A mattress retainer fordetachable adv justable mounting on the angle iron of a bed frame, saidretainer comprising an upright plate having horizontally projecting armsat the opposite edges of the same to extend inwardly over the flat topof the angle iron to thereby support the plate on top of the angle iron,said plate having a downwardly extending projection between thehorizontally projecting edge arms engageable with the outer face of theangle iron to limit inward movement of the plate over the angle iron andsaid horizontally extending arms terminating at their inner ends indownturned hook portions engageable over the inner edge of the topportion of the angle iron to grip the plate portion of the retainer inthe position to which it is fixed by the dependent intermediate portionof the same.

2. A mattress retainer for mounting on the angle iron of a bed frame,said retainer comprising a horizontal arm engageable over the flat topof a bed frame angle iron and terminating in a down-turned hookengageable over the inner edge of the top flat portion of the angleiron, an upstanding plate at the outer end of said horizontal arm toengage and retain a mattress reSting on the angle iron and an uprightportion dependent below the plate to engage the outer face of the angleiron to thereby prevent inward displacement of the plate over the top ofthe angle iron and to hold the hooked portion of the horizontal armengaged over the edge of the said top of the angle-iron in the normalposition of use.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a mattress retainer comprising aflat plate having opposite edge portions partially severed therefrom andbent substantially at right angles to the plane of the plate, with thatportion of the plate between said partially sev- LUCILLE TULL ROBINSON.

